ITEM FILE PHOTO BY OWEN O’ROURKE
Frank DeVito in Central Square in Lynn.
BY GAYLA CAWLEY
LYNN — The city is one step closer to getting a second charter school.
Frank DeVito and his group are finalists in a national competition to redesign the American high school, which should improve his chances of winning $10 million towards opening Equity Lab Charter School.
“I really like our chances,” he said.
DeVito and his 22-member team of local educators are one of 50 finalists in the XQ: Super School Project. The California-based nonprofit is chaired by Laurene Powell Jobs, the widow of Apple Inc. founder Steve Jobs. She is president of the Emerson Collective, sponsor of the $50 million competition.
Equity was chosen from 700 teams from 45 states that submitted applications for new or redesigned high schools. The five winners will be announced next month. Each will receive the cash to get started. If the proposal is approved by the state, he plans to open the school next year.
DeVito said the innovative school would be focused on experience-based learning, rather than textbook reading. He said kids crave stimulation. When they aren’t challenged in school, they turn to other outlets to deal with their boredom, which could be positive like sports, or negative like drugs and alcohol.
Another factor that makes him more comfortable is that Lee Hirsch, a documentary filmmaker, has focused on Equity as part of his film on the competition.
If DeVito and his team wins the competition, but their proposal for a new charter school is not approved by the state, they would be in the awkward position of possibly having to return the prize money. Winners must sign an agreement where specific benchmarks need to be met, such as winning local approvals. If those goals aren’t accomplished, XQ can revoke the award and any unspent funds would need to be returned, DeVito said.
“There’s been so much anger in the city about charters,” he said. “There’s a complete lack of trust about charter schools taking money from the city. It’s probably going to be several years about building trust in the community that we’re trying to do something beneficial.”
The project was launched last fall to rethink and redesign the American high school. Applicants included teams of students, parents, teachers and community leaders nationwide, whose mission was to conceptualize innovative models for 21st century learning.
“There were many compelling and innovative ideas, making the task of selecting finalists a difficult one,” Russlynn Ali, XQ Institute CEO, wrote to DeVito in an email. “Your selection as a finalist is a testament to your extraordinary commitment to build a better future.”
DeVito, the leader of a movement to bring Central Square Public Charter School to Lynn last year, withdrew the proposal for a 160-seat facility for fifth- and sixth-graders.
If Equity Lab wins approval, they will face competition from the only other charter school in the city, KIPP Academy.
Gayla Cawley can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @GaylaCawley.
